Resources

Eligibility for Coverage
The Federal F-1 visa regulations require international students to maintain adequate health insurance throughout their stay in the United States. All international students attending Webber are required to be covered by the University’s Student Medical Insurance Plan and will be automatically enrolled in the Plan.

The Student Medical Insurance Plan documents can be located on the Webber Intranet. If you have questions regarding coverage or medical providers, please contact studentinsurance@webber.edu.

Identification Requirements
You must show proof of birth date and social security number (if issued). Immigrants and non-immigrants have different identification requirements. Once the state of Florida verifies identity and legal status, a driver’s license or identification card will be issued within 30 days from Tallahassee and mailed to the address on the driver record.

Completing the Required First Time Driver Course
Before going to the driver’s license office, you must first complete the four-hour long Drug and Alcohol Traffic Awareness (DATA) course and the written DMV test on road signs and road rules. Both the DATA course and the written DMV test are available online from DMV approved schools.

Once you receive your Certificate of Completion for the DATA course and DMV test you then make an appointment with your local driver’s license office to take the behind-the-wheel driving test. The vehicle you bring for your driving test must have a valid tag, proof of insurance, and pass a vehicle inspection. During the driving test, the examiner will observe your ability to control the vehicle and how well you obey traffic laws. It is important to study the Florida Drivers Handbook in advance of taking the written DMV test and the behind-the-wheel driving test.

Going to the Driver’s License Office (DMV)
Along with your Certificate of Completion you must bring the accepted forms of identification listed above. At the driver’s license office you will also take a vision test, behind-the-wheel driving test, pay a driver license fee, and get your picture taken for an operator’s license. Upon identity and legal status verification, a driver license will be issued within 30 days from Tallahassee and mailed to your address.

The DMV written test is also available at your local driver’s license office but to save time you can take it online after completing the DATA course. Once you receive your Certificate of Completion for the DATA and DMV tests, then you make an appointment at the driver’s license office to take the road test. You will need to bring your Certificate of Completion for the courses and two forms of identification to verify your birth date and social security number.

An apostille is a stamp or seal verifying the authenticity of an official document. Most official documents are recognized only in the country in which they were originally issued. The U.S. is a signatory to a 1961 treaty that provides mutual recognition of documents bearing an apostille. In the U.S., apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State for the state in which the document was issued.

How to Apply
To obtain an apostille for your Webber diploma and transcripts, you will need to submit original document(s) for your apostille request(s).

If you need a newly-printed original diploma and transcripts, you can submit a request online through our website or in person, along with payment, to the Webber Registrar’s Office.

The documents that have been signed and stamped by the Registrar’s Office will accompany the Apostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form (form can be located on the website link below) to request the apostille through the Florida Department of State.

Family members who are not the children or spouse of the F-1 student must apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa to gain entry into the U.S. to attend your graduation ceremony. Family members from certain countries may be eligible to travel to the U.S. to visit for stays of up to 90 days without obtaining a B-1/B-2 visa through the U.S. Department of State Visa Waiver Program.http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit/visa-waiver-program.html

International Student Services at Webber does not produce letters of invitation for the purpose of inviting students’ family members to visit the United States. These letters are not required by the United States Consular Offices in order for family members to obtain visitor visas.

Helping Family Apply for B-1/B-2 Visa
There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how your family member is to complete them may vary at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where they apply. Please consult the instructions available on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will apply. http://www.usembassy.gov/

You do not need a letter from any part of Webber specifically inviting your parents to come to the U.S. You will need an enrollment or degree verification letter from Webber (enrollment verification) and an invitation letter from you. The Registrar’s Office can provide you with the enrollment or degree verification letter upon request. Please allow 5 business days for processing.

Providing your family members with this documentation may improve their chances of obtaining a visa; however, there is no guarantee a visa will be issued. The success of their request for a visa lies in their ability to prove that they have no intention of staying permanently in the United States.

Letter Template
As a courtesy to our students, we are providing a letter template for students who wish to write their own letter to invite family members to the United States. If you choose to write your own letter, it should only serve to invite primary family members (parents, grandparents and siblings). The template is below.

My name is [type full name here] and I am an international student in F-1 status at Webber International University pursuing a [Bachelor’s or Master’s] degree in [field of study]. I am graduating in [May or December] 20__.

I would like to invite my family [and/or friends] listed below to attend my commencement ceremony and other celebration activities that will be held in [May or December] 20__.

First Name LAST NAME (as in passport), relationship to you, his/her address, date of birth, country of citizenship.

(list same information as above for more guests here)

My guest(s) will stay at [U.S. address of location] during their visit, [and may visit a few other U.S. cities before returning home.] It would be greatly appreciated if you would grant [him, her, or them] a visitor visa so that [he, she, or they] may join me to celebrate my graduation.

If you have any questions, I can be reached by email at [your email address] or by phone at [your phone number].

I trust that this information is sufficient to support their application for a visitor visa. Thank you for your time and consideration of my request.